 Alex is editor of the In Your Pocket guides in Poland and has written for The Guardian, The Times and The Observer.
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Accessed all hours Friday 22nd May, 2009
"Outside of the theatre quarter Lemon have a legendary reputation, though that’s more down to the bouncers propensity to initiate physical combat"
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I’ve got to confess, I do miss the old days, the times when Warsaw was every bit as sexy as a strangled turkey. Now this seasoned battle pig is all sushi and Starbucks, reinvented as a modern metropolis focussed on the future. Progress has come at a heavy price, tradition and character waylaid in the headless charge to westernize and develop. But this week’s soapbox is certainly no lament. The quirky iron curtain exoticism may have been diluted but Warsaw has traded her cards wisely; in the place of cabbage there’s curry, and where there were milk bars there’s cocktail bars. I like that, and I also like the slow acquisition of 24hr eateries. When I first came to the city the idea of a 3am feed usually entailed a kebab in the foggy horror best known as Centralna. Food poisoning was every bit as mandatory as the beetroot and carrots that came in the kebab. Of course, these pleasures still abound, but so to do a number of good quality venues catering to the exacting demands of the half-starved reveller.
Starting it off were Przekaski Zakaski, alternatively known as that place in the Europejski Hotel. The regime here is simple: herring, hams, pickles and trotters priced at 8zł and served on tiny plates by solemn staff dressed as bell boys. Food is consumed promptly and standing up, traditionally topped off with a four zlot shot of vodka. There are downsides, however, namely the traditional Easter egg-style hunt for the toilet. What should be a textbook operation becomes a mythological quest for the secret room, your mission occasionally interrupted by draconian matrons found stalking the corridors. It’s also very popular, not least because of the location. It’s for this reason you’ll find a smattering of competitors right in the vicinity. For instance, there’s a place called Bistro in the same building, and not only is their name a little more pronounceable the food is every bit as good. For something more adventurous though why not head to Miodowa, where a place identified as Skafander serves mango salads and chorizo sausages in tortillas.
Outside of the theatre quarter Lemon on Sienkiewicza have a legendary reputation, though that’s more down to the bouncers propensity to initiate physical combat. Go instead to Szparka, or even better, there’s City 24 which drips with neon and Americana. But final word goes to the Food Bus, a battered vehicle found infrequently parked by the Palace of Culture. Madness reigns inside, as such don’t be surprised to find old women singing off key while eating your soakage.
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